LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

Yesterday I posted a thread joking about giving myself a fill. I really didn't fill my band, all I did was eat really salty salsa in order to get bloated so that I could get some restriction. I deleted that thread though, because it was a bad, bad idea. I'm sorry if I spread a new bad habit of eating salt to get restriction, that wasn't my intention. Meanwhile, last night I had a hard time sleeping. My bod was really feeling the effects of the salt. I have carpal tunnel syndrome. Last year I had one hand surgically corrected, but all that Water retention had me up all night with dead hands and arms. Water retention makes my carpal tunnel and other aches and pain…

Good morning! I posted this on obesityhelp this morning. Wanted to share since you guys know me so well!!! I dont mean to whine but I need some cyberhugs. These last pounds are going so slow and sometimes I feel like I dont have the drive or energy to make it to my final destination. I started with such a high BMI (53.9), and now at (BMI 30.) and there are days that I feel like if I had started 30 or 40 lbs lighter, I would already be at goal. I gave myself 2 years to lose 164-170 pounds. I am mostly there at 19 months out with 5 months left, but I am feeling like I am just not going to make it. I know that a lot to do with it is because I am being complacent. I am…

Hi.. I'm 22 years old and weigh 384 pounds. I *should* have my insurance approval this week sometime and I just wonder if and where people around or above my weight are at after the surgery I know all people are different when loosing but I'm just curious. I know many who are my weight and plus choose stapling but my doctor actually recommended the band. thanks in advance

I finally know what it is like to have restriction. I think my doc was just joking when they put the first fill in. I was eating more after the first fill than with the initial surgery. But I just got back from lunch and went to Schlotsky's. I had a small sliced chicken breast sandwich and could only eat half of it. I had to eat it so slow and chew a million times so it wouldn't hurt going down, but was still done after I had half. I am reprogramming myself because I was always waiting to be so full when I ate. But, i figured out I just need the feeling that I am not hungry anymore instead of the feeling that I am so full I can't move, and that is stopping me fr…

Extreme Measures http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6795525/site/newsweek/ One boy's struggle to lose weight and the new surgical procedure he hopes can save his life... It is fairly long, 3 pages worth. Oh, and that is my Mike they are quoting...

This is a message from Sanmae which was posted elsewhere. I couldn't move it so I'm copying it.

I am also willing to buy some nice threads @38/30 or lg. shirts (small xl) Work with me here new temperary threads are high.

OK, I'm not thinking February for this -- but would anyone be interested in a Chicago bash? Maybe next summer? Let's see if anyone's interested, and we can take it from there. There's tons of stuff to do for everyone from music nuts to power shoppers; it's easy to get around on public transportation; and the whole place comes alive when we thaw out. It's centrally located for Midwesterners (that is, equally inconvenient for everybody), and flights are relatively cheap because Chicago's a major airline hub. Attractions: the Art Institute of Chicago, Ravinia music festival, jazz and blues clubs, hanging out or power-walking along the lakefront, more museums, Michigan …

As I said I would report in. I have not weighed and dont intend to until next Monday and I will be unexpectedly surprised! I'm hoping for 234lbs. The weekend was good as in I made 5 days of weights and cardio last week. Diet has progressively gotten better. I still had a couple doughnuts and some pizza too but no chocalate or margarittas and Mex food. That is the main problem for me. Time and patience my friends......I was pleased with progress. Back, knees, leggs, upper body sore as h...! :cool:

is the big day - the beginning of my new, healthy life! I am excited and nervous - weird emotions going on but mostly excited. Wish me luck - surgery at 7:30 am Lauren 326/326/?? Dr. Bertha Morristown, nj

Well everything went fine. I had surgery at 7:30 and was walking out of the hospital at 11:30. Yikes - I have quite a bit of pain from the gas. Everytime I inhale it hurts and the incision where the band is placed is pretty sore. Any suggestions?? Thanks for all of your support everyone

I have been banded since Feb 2003,almost one year, and have been blessed to have lost 126 lbs thus far. I have allergies and lots of extra drainage lately and my lapband doc suggested me to use Claritin-D for the extra drainage. Well, long story short, I have tried to take them, but they are really big and I don't think they are going through my pouch. I have lots of drainage at night which leads to coughing which occasionally leads to throwing up which I know is a bad thing for a band patient, but it is beyond my control. Well, twice this week I have thrown up and noticed a white gel like blob in the vomit which I am assuming is the claritin D pill and that is not dis…

Anyone know of a fill dr. in west virginia please let me know. thank you

Hey Everyone, Ive been learning so much from yall over the past 4 months! I have 2 weeks, and I cant belive my time has finalllllllly arrived! Of course Im dealing with the lovely Insurance company who one minute says they cover it 90% then the next minute drops my claim, but I have faith it will all work out. Not stressin over that. I am SO excited and ready to start this new lifestyle. I am nervous though... I have been trying to gather from everyone's experiences and suggestions about what to take to the hospital, what to have ready at home, Vitamins to take, foods to take in accordance of course with what my doctors orders are. I wanted to run by you gu…

Anybody want to sell one of these Lap band for life books. Sounds safer here! I'd like a peek at it.

I am now at the second week of my surgery and am on thicker liquids....how much is to much to drink.....I drink a lot of Soup and my three ensures I am suppose to have....and drink till am I am full lol and Water which seems all the time to keep me full....am I overdoing the liquids...... Banded on Dec 17 Beginning weight 219 Weight as of Dec 24 -199...

Dr. Ponce of Georgia. This article was done quite awhile back. David is a member of Smartbandsters Yahoo Group and has done very well with his band. He also works for USA Today. It's got some good answers in it.

Ok guys: Here is my thinking on this. I would NOT get a fill right before the holidays. With all the festivities and feasts it would be awful if you spent most of the time in the bathroom PBing. So I talked with Dr. HUNKY today and we both agreed that no fill for me till after the holidays. Here are some tips I am going to incoorporate this holiday season. Add to them as you see fit. Just copy and paste them to keep the list complete. 1. Just make better choices and eat less. 2. Use a smaller dessert plate for your meals instead of the humongous plates. 3. Remember to think in terms of a teaspoon of everything if you must try everything. 4. CHEW CHEW CHEW …

I know many of us have problems with burping, but I'm beginning to wonder if a need a small unfill for mine. No matter what I eat or drink - except maybe Water - I get so much trapped air that it is painful and I am working to burp it out for at least an hour. Sometimes - like last night - it is so bad that I actually PB air. I get all the PB symptoms - the salivating, etc. - and when I finally PB, all that comes out is a huge mass of air. I usually have to walk around after a meal to try to help the air to come out. I'm not even sure where this air is getting trapped. It feels like it is the pouch, but if so, what is preventing it from getting out? I don't really…

OK, I've been whining to myself (and to anyone who isn't already tired of listening) that I don't have much restriction with my 1.2cc fill. I can eat two cups of most foods without any trouble. So I scheduled an appointment for another fill tomorrow (1/21). Guess what? During the last three days I've had good restriction. Nothing extreme (although I did PB yesterday after not chewing a piece of dry chicken well enough), just what I thought I was supposed to have. No, I'm not in PMS or M mode. Funny, it feels as if my band knows it's going to be messed with tomorrow, so it's behaving itself now! Tempted as I am to cancel the appointment, I'm going to keep it, just to …

I am new to posting, so please forgive the length of this post... my allergies are giving me a fit with lots of drainage, but only at night causing the cough and leading to spit up and throw up. Long story short, I was taking Claritin-D but noticed when I would have throw up even hours after taking it, the pill would come up and still be whole and intact, making me think it wsa not going anywhere especialy not through the pouch. So I got worried and called my nurse. I have talked to my Band Doctor's nurses all week, she said to use guiafenicin and my regular Claritin together and if I am still doing these things come Monday, they are bringing me in for an unfill. Well I…

Well, I had my first fill on 1/21. It was quite an experience. It didnt hurt really. Just a bee sting from the shot to deaden the area. He pulled out 2cc's. YES, he put in 2cc's during surgery! I didnt think that they did that but he sure did. Then he filled it back up with 4.5cc's. No wonder I had some restriction. So I honestly do not feel any different than I did before my fill. I still get hungry and I think I can eat too much. :: I dont feel full until I finish and realize that I am stuffed.

Hi Im new around here, my name is Kate and Im from Australia. I am having surgery on the 4th of feb and for the next few weeks I am on an optifast diet. I was just wondering if anybody else has had to be on a special diet before your surgery?

can anyone please tell me some foods or recipes or websites that would help me in weight loss. I had my lap band but it seems I always eat wrong foods. Should I be skipping carbs and eating only Protein or how. I had my lap band done on 12-1-04 and had one fill so far and I have lost only 5 lbs. It seems that I always end up eating wrong foods (pasta, bread, even snacks). I would really like some healthy fast and easy recipes becuause I am so busy to prepare long meals. I have a 3 years old and a 15 month old and a full time job. If u can give me any info it would be greatly appreciated. (I cannot ask my dr. becase I feel very sorry I had the surgery with, the dr. patie…

Whooooo Hoooooo! You made it to the 170's! :banana I am so happy for you!

I just had my second fill. I have 2.8cc and have good restriction now. My question is I have a 4cc band If I get up to 4cc in fill and still have weight to loss what happens. I was stocked to be at 2.8cc on my second fill. My wife just got her first fill and it was 1cc. She has alot of room to go and only has 30 pound or so to lose. I wondered if anyone has ever been filled to the max. We have been working with our bands. We totally believe in Low Carb. We have come so far, but still want to reach goal. Time is on our side.

Hi Just Wondering I Am On Just Clear With Pro Shakes Since It Is Just Liquids To You Feel Sort Hungry More Often Then Solid Fooods Or Is There Something Wrong With My Band I Am Not Starving Sust Feeling Stomach Grualing After Awhile Julie

and I am dying - How do I get through this day??

I hiested this from Smartbandsters - Jessie Ahroni. I think it's a very good analogy.. Anybody can stop their car by driving into a brick wall. It takes a lot more skill to stop it two inches before the wall. And it's the same with the band: it takes more skill to stop at the subtle signals that you've had enough to eat. Anybody can learn to stop when they've pouch packed, they're stuffed or they're about to throw up. That's not the best way to use your band. That's a case of letting the band do all the work.

Oh, man, this is so hard! Snowbound with two little kids and what do you think of? Popcorn, brownies, Cookies, and all the other fun things to cook and eat together. AARGH!! We can't go outside or go shopping so we're limited to what's in the house. And what's in the house is all of the above. Besides, what on earth is fun to make that the kids will eat that isn't bandster poison? Ah, well, thank goodness hubby is home to share the pain. He can handle the baking chores and I'll hide myself upstairs with a book till it's all over. Or do laundry, or something.

Hi Guys, After my cyberwhining of recent, I got on the scale and finally made it to 185!!! Yeah!!! I am no longer obese and now I am just overweight! I know its just an arbitrary number, but I did feel pretty good about it nonetheless. So apparently I still on the road to goal. I will change my ticker tape later. My next goal is to get to the Century and a Half mark. ONE MORE POUND!!! Babs in TX 334/185/170 -149 6/23/03

I have a question for the girls. I'm 7 days post band. My husband is kind of acting distant/funny. He told me he feels sad because I can't eat with him anymore and is worried that I will become "full of" myself when I lose weight, and I think he is afraid that I might change in more ways then just my physical looks. We've know a few couples that have split after one or the other lost weight. I was speechless, and tried to reassure him that I have no intentions of changing, and I reassured him that I can still eat with him, just not as much as I used to (quantity). Is this normal? has anyone else gone through this? Thanks for any input, I need advice!

Got mild leg cramps......had lap band on Monday.....it is now saturday...decided to drink v8 juice since it has veggies...to see if this will help cramps ...doing liquid vitamins....and lots of water.......

I had my band put in in Mexico. I found a Dr. here in Michigan that will do fills for me. His prices are 250 for the first fill, and 150 for each fill after that. He also offers a two year deal which includes unlimited fills, dietician visits and support groups. I don't know which to choose? If I only get three fills per year in the first couple of years, it will be 550.00 per year alone. How many fills are average per year? this is a respected bariatric surgeon and I consider myself LUCKY to have found someone that is only a 2 hr drive from where I live that will even touch my mexican band. YIKES! I need advice!!!

I dont know how all of you all felt but yesterday I got my approval letter from the insurance company. I was estatic! Today I sat and watched the telephone all day wanting to pick it up to call the doctors office but was too afraid that someone would tell me they made a mistake. So what happened, my phone rang and it was the doctors office calling to congratulate me cause they got my approval letter and had just got off the phone with the insurance and gave them a date of March 18. Can you all believe that, I have a date, I think I'm gonna cry. I am so happy I could bust. I probably wont be able to sleep just thinking about it. Ok, somebody tell me to shut up. A…

:cry :cry OMG I am SOOO So sick!! Sunday night, I suddenly started to lose my voice and got a fever out of nowhere and now my head is stopped up, my ears are stopped up, my nose is stopped up, my bones hurt, I had 102.6 fever last night, my throat feels like raw meat. Arghhhhhhhhhhhhh.... I did go to the doc today and asked her to give me an injection, which she did, so maybe it'll help. We'll see. I guess it was just my turn. I haven't had even a cold for at least 2 years now. Just wanted to let someone in on my misery... lol.

Hello Everyone! I had a thought today, at work, staring at the computer. Imagine that??? I think we all need some variety from time to time and with only being allowed a specific amount of calories, it's hard to come up with ideas to keep meals interesting and not boring....and also simple, portable, etc. Would you be interested in sharing your menu plans? Would love to know your thoughts on this. Does anyone feel this would help them? We could list our Calorie Count (the one set by your doc or Dietitian), total calories for each item, or meal, or total for the day. Any other ideas would be great!!! Whatdya think?! Would this be helpful? Nancy*

You know how sometimes the answers come to you right when you need them? This article did that for me...and there are many messages in it that we discuss here. I couldn't find a link to it, so I typed it up because I thought it was so important for everyone here to read. It's long, so grab a bottle of Water and settle in. Size and Sensibility Losing half her body weight was no picnic. But living thin—and expanding her sense of self—nearly made Frances Kuffle’s world blow up I had been summoned to The Show, the Holy Grail for authors and the fulfillment of all my mother’s dreams. In a harried day of phone calls from Chicago, at the tail end of a snowstorm, the p…

This article is in the Woman's World magizine this week: It's become a popular choice for the very overweight: surgery that uses a band instead of a scalpel to make the stomach smaller. The reason? Lap-Band (Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding Procedure), as it's called, is safer, cheaper and may be just as effective as gastric bypass, according to experts. Interested? Here's what you need to know: What it is: a 40-minute outpatient surgery, done under general anesthesia, which requires only a small incision to place an inflatable band around the upper part of the stomach and make it smaller. "The now golf-ball-size pouch holds much less food, so you feel fu…

paintsva (59), Grant (56), sallykotz (41), Guamtab (40), Jonathan (32)

Is that the right word for it even? I've read about people being excited about reaching it... trying to keep it.... their breath smelling because of it... it clearly relates to weight loss but I have no idea what the heck it is! LOL HELP?

Its been 6 months since I was banded; and 6 weeks since my last fill. And finally I *think* Im feeling restriction (thank God), but I need to make sure. Remember, I had a tad bit of problems after this fill and I just want to check and see if this IS normal. here's my symptoms... 1. Im NOT hungry (didnt think I would ever say that) 2. Im eating slow b/c I can feel the bite staying in the pouch for a few seconds before passing through. 3. Im getting fuller MUCH faster. 4. Every so often I feel bubbles coming up (not actual burping) same feeling I had after 1st fill....... restriction? Veteran bandsters, is THIS what its supposed to feel like??? The fact that …

I finally got the nerve to weigh today. 239lbs. Thats early AM while I was running on empty after a workout so I know it would be more under normal conditions. I had gone down to 226lbs before. So don't think you cant gain folks. 13lbs is no joke. I have my work cut out for me I see. I will keep u informed. I'm planning a active weekend for sure and to watch the diet. I can simply eat more than I should I may schedule an appt. with the Doc. I will use you all as leverage. I will report my losses here and I promise they will come quickly........

please give me any advice on how to make it through the liquid part of the banding on day 4 and even the thought of a protein shake makes me nauseas any suggestions on what to do

Has Anyone Had There Lap Band Long Term? If So How Is It Going Now?

Just wanted to let ya'll in on this Carb Countdown Milk stuff. IT'S GOOD!! I have bought soymilk for the past 2-3yrs and basically weaned off milk for the most part unless I had Cereal, for which I used soymilk. But this Carb Countdown drink is very good tasting and it has great nutritional values as well. Here's how it compares to whole milk: 8 oz serving Carb Countdown Total Carb 3g Protein 12g Fat 4.5g Calories 100 Calcium 350mg Whole Milk Total Carb 12g Protein 8g Fat 8g Calories 150 Calcium 300mg I mixed this with Carnation Instant Breakfast earlier and it was quite filling and satisfying. I got quite a shot of protein to boot! Just FYI …

Six Patterns for Weight Loss Management Researchers Say Certain Habits Can Maintain Weight Loss Efforts By Kelli A. Miller WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD on Tuesday, August 03, 2004 Aug. 4, 2004 -- Has dieting got you down? Concentrating more on your behavioral patterns and less on your middle may help keep off the pounds for good. A study published in the July 2004 Nursing Science Quarterly reports that 18 women who lost 10% of their body weight and kept it off for at least a year did so by embracing six behavioral patterns. Study author Diane berry, a postdoctoral fellow at Yale School of Nursing, evaluated the weight loss expe…

Ok many of you may not know this but you won't be able to call and get the time anymore on the phone. So if you want the proper date and time here is a site where you can get it. No Matter how much they pay this timekeeper it can't be enough http://www.yugop.com/ver3/stuff/03/fla.html

This article is from Zone, hopefully you will find useful too. Fish Facts 01/18/2005Carolyn Alish, PhD, RD, LD Okay, so you know you should be eating more fish. But what if you just aren't a fish person? Meaning, you don't know how to select a good piece of fish in the market, or how to prepare it so it's fun to eat. To help you along, here are some tips to take the fear out of buy, preparing and eating fish. Buying Fish WHOLE FISH: Look for one with red or pink gills and bring, clear eyes that are slightly protruding. Gray, sagging gills and sunken, pink and cloudy eyes are signs that the fish is anything but fresh. FILLETS OR STEAKS: Check their aroma befo…

Hi, I also wanted to post some before and after pics. I put a couple of each in seperate post. for all more pics you can visit my site in my auto signature